Martha Taylor Howard was the prime mover in the purchase of the Susan B. Anthony House in Rochester and opening it as a museum (she called it a "shrine") in 1945. She worked tirelessly to raise money for the purchase, mostly in donations of under $5. She then devoted her life to publicizing the House and raising money for its upkeep. She also coordinated the effort the get Susan B. Anthony elected to the National Hall of Fame. Although she was in her sixties when she moved to Rochester, she became a well known local figure.